Indoor cycling exercise is often conducted on a stationary bicycle, which can provide an intense cardio and lower body work out for a user. It can be a great form of aerobic exercise burning significant amount of calories in a short period of time. Indoor cycling is also beneficial in strengthening the muscles of the lower body, toning the quadriceps and hamstrings, along with working the back and hips.
Group exercises of indoor cycling can be carried out in a class format in a studio with an instructor leading the participant of the group exercise through a sequence of positions and movements. The stationary bicycles used in such classes are usually specialized bikes. Typically the bikes have a weighted flywheel that simulates the effects of inertia and momentum when riding a real bicycle. Additionally, the bikes may include a mechanical device to modify the resistance of pedaling, specially-shaped handlebars, and multiple adjustment points to fit the bicycle to a range of riders. The pedals may be equipped with toe clips as on racing bicycles, to allow one foot to pull up when the other is pushing down. The pedals may alternatively have clipless receptacles for use with cleated cycling shoes.
Stationary bicycles are designed to exercise the lower body of a user. The bikes used in indoor cycling exercises are therefore limited to exercising the lower body, particularly the legs of a participant. Upper body exercise during an indoor cycling routine has been limited to shifting positions on the handle bar of the stationary bike, to push-ups on the handle bar, or to the use of light free weights while cycling.
However, upper body exercise utilizes different muscle groups and increases heart rate and energy expenditure to a greater degree than lower body exercise. Total body workout by exercising both the upper and lower body produces the best overall results. Work is spread over a large muscle mass. Traditional stationary exercise equipment, with features such as levers, rowing type motions, or hand cranks, for upper body exercises are not suitable for the typical bikes used in indoor cycling classes. There exists a need for an exercise apparatus that combines the intense aerobic and lower body work out involving equipment used with stationary exercise, such as indoor cycling, with resistance training for the upper body, and to allow additional creative movements to a lower body workout on stationary equipment, such as an indoor cycling exercise routine.